The multielement composition and nutritional value of "dumosa" (Ilex dumosa) (ID), "yerba mate" (I. paraguariensis) (IP) and their commercial 70:30 mixture (ID:IP, w/w) in crude drug, brewed mate and tea-bag-like infusion were studied by ICP-OES. This method allowed the detection of an unprecedented number of elements for these species. The order was K>Ca>Mg>P>Mn>Al>Na>Si>Fe in crude drug. IP showed higher concentration of minerals than ID, but most extractability in the latter largely offset its shortcomings. Brewed mate had higher nutritional value than mate tea because their higher solute/solvent ratio. A portion of brewed mate of both species exceeded the daily recommended intake (DRI) of Mn, and providing Mg, Cu, Fe, Zn and K, too. The portions of mate tea not contribute significantly to the DRI. Some essential trace elements and many ultra-traces ones that exist in crude drug were not detected in aqueous extracts. Most of the heavy metals were not leached into extracts, and in any case never exceeded international safety limits. Therefore, the aqueous extracts of ID and IP and its mixture are interesting from the nutritional point of view in minerales, and safe in terms of health.

La composición multielemental y el valor nutricional de "dumosa" (Ilex dumosa) (ID), "yerba mate" (I. paraguariensis) (IP) y su mezcla comercial 70:30 (ID:IP, p/p) fue estudiada por ICP-OES en droga cruda y dos formas de consumo: "cebadura" y "mate cocido". Este método permitió detectar un número sin precedentes de elementos en estas especies. En droga cruda, el orden resultó K>Ca>Mg>P>Mn>Al>Na>Si>Fe. IP mostró mayor concentración de minerales que ID, pero la mayor extractabilidad en esta última compensó en gran medida sus deficiencias. La cebadura mostró mayor valor nutricional que la infusión, a causa de su mayor relación soluto/disolvente. La porción de cebadura de ambas especies superó la ingesta diaria recomendada (IDR) de Mn, aportando también Mg, Cu, Fe, Zn y K. La porción de mate cocido no contribuyó significativamente a la IDR. Algunos elementos traza esenciales y muchos ultra-trazas presentes en droga cruda no fueron detectados en los extractos acuosos. La mayoría de los metales pesados no fueron lixiviados hacia los extractos, y en todo caso nunca excedieron los límites de seguridad internacionales. Por ello, los extractos acuosos de ID e IP y sus mezclas son interesantes desde el punto de vista nutricional y son seguros en cuanto a la salud.

Melissa officinalis L., so called "Melissa" or "Toronjil", is a perennial aromatic herb, whose leaves are used in traditional medicine as a carminative, digestive and sedative, both in simple as in mixtures. Meanwhile, Nepeta cataria L., commonly called "Cat mint" or "Toronjil", with some similar properties, often replacing M. officinalis in the market, although their chemical composition is not completely matched, and contains an iridoid potentially toxic (nepetalactone). It is therefore necessary to establish diacritic parameters to differentiate these species, both at crude drug level, mixtures and extracts. Samples from various sources in Argentina were studied and documental specimens are preserved in the Herbarium UNSL. Anatomical sections were analyzed, and quantitative micrographic parameters were obtained, together with HPLC and FTIR spectra from methanolic and aqueous lyophilized extracts. Significant differences were detected in the prevailing smell foliage, morphology of leaves and inflorescences, trichomata type, palisade ratio, veinlet termination number, rosmarinic acid concentration (with distinctive HPLC profiles), and the CO/CH relationships obtained by FTIR from the extracts, that together allow adequate differentiation of both drugs, even when they were ground or powdered.

Melissa officinalis L., llamada vulgarmente "melisa" o "toronjil", es una hierba perenne, aromática, cuyas hojas son empleadas en medicina popular como carminativo, digestivo y sedante, tanto en droga simple como en asociación. Por su parte Nepeta cataria L., llamada vulgarmente "menta de los gatos" y también "toronjil", con algunas propiedades similares, sustituye con frecuencia a M. officinalis en el mercado, aunque su composición química no es del todo coincidente y contiene un iridoide potencialmente tóxico (nepetalactona). Por ello es necesario establecer parámetros diacríticos para diferenciar ambas especies, a nivel de droga cruda, mezclas y extractos. Fueron estudiados especímenes de diversas procedencias en Argentina, y los ejemplares documentales son conservados en el Herbario UNSL. Se analizaron cortes anatómicos, se registraron los parámetros micrográficos cuantitativos y se obtuvieron espectros de HPLC y FTIR a partir de extractos metanólicos y acuosos liofilizados. Fueron detectadas diferencias significativas entre ambas especies en cuanto al aroma prevaleciente del follaje, la exomorfología de hojas e inflorescencias, los tipos tricomáticos, la relación de empalizada, el número de terminales de nerviación, la concentración de ácido rosmarínico (con perfiles HPLC distintivos), y las relaciones CO/CH obtenidas por FTIR a partir de los extractos, caracteres que en conjunto permiten una diferenciación adecuada de ambas drogas, aún cuando se presenten molidas o reducidas a polvo.

It has been determined the concentration of fourteen micro and macrominerals (Al, Ca, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, P, Se, and Zn) in both crude drugs and infusions of Melissa officinalis L., Lamiaceae, Nepeta cataria L., Lamiaceae, Passiflora caerulea L., Passifloraceae, Tilia x moltkei Späth ex C.K. Schneid., Tiliaceae, and Valeriana officinalis L., Caprifoliaceae. These herbs are widely consumed by its sedative properties, either alone or in herb mixtures. All measurements were performed using an inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES). The products were obtained from regional markets, mainly in San Luis province (Argentina). The estimated daily intake was compared with current recommendations. All products and its infusions were included within the upper tolerable limits for minerals, in trace elements such as toxic elements present at low levels.

As partes aéreas de seis plantas argentinas - conhecidas geralmente como "botões d'ouro" - são usadas indistintamente na medicina popular ou para obter remédios ervais e fitoterápicos. No entanto, estas entidades pertencem a três gêneros da tribo Helenieae (Asteraceae): Gaillardia, Helenium e Hymenoxys, sendo as espécies mais utilizadas Gaillardia megapotamica var. megapotamica (Spreng.) Bak.; G. megapotamica var. scabiosoides (Arn.) Bak.; G. megapotamica var. radiata (Griseb.) Bak.; Helenium donianum (Hook. & Arn.) Seckt; H. argentinum Ariza e Hymenoxys anthemoides (Juss.) Cass. Neste trabalho, foram estudadas as relações entre os táxons mencionados a partir do ponto de vista morfológico, a sua coexistência em populações naturais e suas ações farmacológicas reputadas. As suas características histológicas são descritas e ilustradas, a fim de obter uma exata identificação botânica dos produtos encontrados no mercado, de forma a garantir a sua qualidade, especialmente porque as amostras são freqüentemente já pulverizadas ou em pó.

The aerial parts of six Argentinean plants - commonly known as "botones de oro"- are indistinctly used either in folk medicine or to obtain herbal remedies and phytotherapics. However, these entities belong to three different genera of the Tribe Helenieae (Asteraceae): Gaillardia, Helenium and Hymenoxys, being the most used species Gaillardia megapotamica var. megapotamica (Spreng.) Bak.; G. megapotamica var. scabiosoides (Arn.) Bak.; G. megapotamica var. radiata (Griseb.) Bak.; Helenium donianum (Hook. & Arn.) Seckt; H. argentinum Ariza and Hymenoxys anthemoides (Juss.) Cass. In this work, we studied the relationships between the mentioned taxa from the morphological point of view, their coexistence in natural populations and their reputed pharmacological actions. Their histological features are described and illustrated, in order to obtain an accurate botanical identification of the products found in the market so as to guarantee their quality, especially because the samples are often already powdered or grounded.